Signs of STD

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs, formerly called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs), are primarily spread through various types of sexual contact. In the United States, one in five people have an STI. You can reduce your risk of contracting an STI by using a barrier method of protection, such as a condom, during each type of sexual encounter, which includes oral sex. Some STIs can be transmitted orally and cause a sore throat. Read on to learn more about STIs that can affect the throat and mouth, and how to treat them. Westend61 / Getty Images. Gonorrhea in the Throat and Mouth Gonorrhea , also known as "the clap," is one of the most common STIs in the United States. Gonorrhea is caused by  Neisseria gonorrhoeae   bacteria, spread during sexual contact. Gonorrhea can affect the genitals as well as the mouth and throat. Left untreated, gonorrhea can cause a host of serious complications includi...

[UPDATED on March 4] Anthony Cantu, 31, counsels patients at a San Antonio health clinic about a daily pill shown to prevent HIV infection. Last summer, he started taking the medication himself, an approach called preexposure prophylaxis, better known as PrEP. The regimen requires laboratory tests every three months to ensure the powerful drug does not harm his kidneys and that he remains HIV-free. But after his insurance company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, billed him hundreds of dollars for his PrEP lab test and a related doctor's visit, Cantu panicked, fearing an avalanche of bills every few months for years to come. "I work in social services. I'm not rich. I told my doctor I can't continue with PrEP," said Cantu, who is gay. "It's terrifying getting bills that high." A national panel of health experts concluded in June 2019 that HIV prevention drugs, shown to lower the risk ...

Show Caption Hide Caption STDs at record high in the U.S. The CDC says STDs — including gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia — have hit a record high with more than 2.4 million reported cases. We explain why. USA TODAY The claim: Herpes is a parasitic worm, not a virus A post on social media contends much of what you learned about herpes in sex ed is wrong. "Herpes! Let's Talk About It," reads a Dec. 2 Facebook post, which received about 150 likes and 90 shares in six days. "It's not a virus. It's a parasitic worm ... a helminth!"  The poster further asserts that herpes is not contracted via sex, but rather through food consumption and vaccination. But experts say the post's claims are totally bunk. For starters, the sexually transmitted herpes is caused by two viruses, not a parasitic worm...

Treatment for HIV has come a long way. The first drugs to treat HIV were approved in the 1980s. They were sometimes successful in delaying the onset of AIDS, but side effects were serious and intolerable for many people. The introduction of the first antiretrovirals in the 1990s changed the HIV treatment landscape. Since then, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved more than 30 HIV medications. Antiretroviral therapy, or ART, has changed the way we think about and live with HIV. What was once an almost certain fatal virus has become one that may be chronic but is generally manageable. Today, more than 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV. And those who start on ART early in the course of their HIV can expect a near-normal life span . With so many options, there's a lot to consider when deciding on your HIV medication regimen. ART drugs stop HIV from replicating, which reduces the amount of virus in your body. The medications target specific enzyme...

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) among people 15 to 29 years of age. It is caused by a bacteria known as  Chlamydia trachomatis , which can be passed from one person to the next through vaginal, anal, and oral sex. When it occurs in the mouth or throat, it is referred to as oral chlamydia. People often suspect they have chlamydia when they get genital and urinary tract symptoms like painful urination or vaginal discharge. But those who get it through oral sex don't always connect the symptoms to the disease because they can be easily attributed to other conditions. Recvisual / Getty Images This article takes a closer look at the symptoms and causes of oral chlamydia. It also explains how this common STD is diagnosed, treated, and prevented. Symptoms of Oral Chlamydia Most of the time, people with oral chlamydia do not have any symptoms. The only major one they may have is a sore throat, which can be ...

Brown discharge can happen at the beginning and end of your period because the blood oxidizes. It can also be a sign of certain STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea or pelvic inflammatory disease. Bloody, brown discharge is also the most common sign of endometrial cancer. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. In most cases, brown vaginal discharge is a normal part of your menstrual cycle and not a cause for concern. But sometimes brown discharge can be a sign of an illness or infection that requires medical attention. Here are six reasons for brown discharge and when to see a doctor.  1. Your period is coming or has just ended Brown discharge at the beginning of or end of your period usually occurs because the blood is moving more slowly than in the middle of your period. As the blood takes more time to leave the uterus, it oxidizes, turn...

Tricia Burdo (left), a microbiology, immunology and inflammation professor, and Kamel Khalili, chair of the department of microbiology, immunology and inflammation and a cofounder of Excision BioTherapeutics, conduct research at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. | RYAN BRANDENBERG / COURTESY Kevin Hackett was diagnosed with HIV in 1983, when people with the disease were heavily stigmatized by the federal government and those who did not have the virus.  "You were diagnosed that week and you die the next following week," said Hackett, 59, who lives on Roosevelt Boulevard.  Hackett, now living with AIDS, takes one antiretroviral pill and up to 15 pills for related ailments per day. A new treatment that would allow people to stop relying on a variety of antiretroviral medications would make a world of difference, Hackett said.  Temple University researchers developed an intravenous therapy, call...

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs, formerly called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs), are primarily spread through various types of sexual contact. In the United States, one in five people have an STI. You can reduce your risk of contracting an STI by using a barrier method of protection, such as a condom, during each type of sexual encounter, which includes oral sex. Some STIs can be transmitted orally and cause a sore throat. Read on to learn more about STIs that can affect the throat and mouth, and how to treat them. Westend61 / Getty Images. Gonorrhea in the Throat and Mouth Gonorrhea , also known as "the clap," is one of the most common STIs in the United States. Gonorrhea is caused by  Neisseria gonorrhoeae   bacteria, spread during sexual contact. Gonorrhea can affect the genitals as well as the mouth and throat. Left untreated, gonorrhea can cause a host of serious complications includi...